5537 —הבהרה על ייחוס אלדד ומידד ותזמון פרישת עמרם

B"H, 24 Sivan, 5717.

Brooklyn.

Havav"ch iy"a nu"n etc. Harav Yosef Tawil

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your comment delivered through B.A., the young scholar Havav"ch iy"a nu"n Aharon Tawil, regarding what is written in Daas Zekeinim on the Torah, Behaaloscha 11:27 with Tosafos HaRosh: Eldad and Medad were Moshe's brothers, but when the Torah was given and all forbidden relationships were prohibited, everyone separated, etc., and also Amram, Moshe's father, separated from Yocheved his aunt who was his wife and married another woman who bore him Eldad and Medad, etc. You asked how this is possible since the selection of elders described in Parshas Behaaloscha happened close to Matan Torah, and Eldad and Medad were already prophesying in the camp at that time.

The intention of the Rosh is that Amram's separation from Yocheved was for the reason mentioned but not at the time mentioned. Since Amram was a prophet, when he learned about this prohibition he separated from Yocheved. This is explained even more explicitly in Sefer Toldos Yitzchak by R' Yitzchak Caro on Parshas Behaaloscha (quoted in Miluim to Torah Shleimah Parshas Shemos): Amram knew from Moshe about the future prohibition of forbidden relationships by Torah law and therefore separated from Yocheved his aunt and took another wife.

I hope you have set times for studying Chassidus—the inner dimension of Torah—which in the language of the holy Zohar is "the soul of Torah," meaning it is the soul of Nigleh (the revealed part) of Torah which is called "the body of Torah," as known in Zohar there Vol. III p. 152a.

With honor and blessing,

In the name of the Rebbe Shlita

Summary

The Rebbe clarifies that Amram’s separation from Yocheved occurred due to prophetic knowledge before Matan Torah’s prohibitions took effect. He encourages consistent study of Chassidus as essential for understanding both the revealed and inner dimensions of Torah.